David Harvey

From Geography

Revision as of 22:30, 25 October 2012

David Harvey (7 December 1935) is an influential social geographer and is distinguished professor at the City University in New York (www.davidharvey.org). Harvey is a key figure in the modern Marxism. Harvey is particularly interested how culture, state, arts and law were inextricably bound with the circulation of capital (Aitken & Valentine. 2006. p.69).

Harvey wants to prove that Marxism is not dead, which seemed to be the case after the fall of the Iron Curtain and Marxists lost their strength (Aitken & Valentine. 2006. p.189). Harvey argues that there are two fundamental aspects which represent the Marxist ideology: time and space. In capitalism every chain of capital has to go as fast as possible which can result that the chain of capital or production is going faster than any human being can handle. Besides time is capital also taking space. Fundamental features in the landscape are confiscated by capitalism. Large factories or giant offices are build and thereby denigrating nature. Capitalism is taking place everywhere. Furthermore, Harvey argues that capitalists are taking labor in their hands, when a capitalist can make his product with cheaper labor elsewhere the capitalist will easily move his factory. Thereby not having any empathy for the laborers who loose their jobs because of these movements.

According to Harvey are the works of Karl Marx more relevant than ever (Harvey, 2010). In Harvey's review of the Great Recession, the financial crisis which occurred in the late 2000s, Harvey argues that these shortcomings of the capital system were already predicted by Marxists. Harvey in this context identifies himself with the Occupy Movement of New York: The Party of Wall Street has one universal principle of rule: that there shall be no serious challenge to the absolute power of money to rule absolutely. And that power is to be exercised with one objective. Those possessed of money power shall not only be privileged to accumulate wealth endlessly at will, but they shall have the right to inherit the earth, taking either direct or indirect dominion not only of the land and all the resources and productive capacities that reside therein, but also assume absolute command, directly or indirectly, over the labor and creative potentialities of all those others it needs. The rest of humanity shall be deemed disposable (Harvey, 2011) It was Marx who already said that the shortcomings of the capitalist system would be dramatically exposed one day. And if that would happen the proletariat would stand up and demonstrate to fight the capitalist system.

References

• Aitken, S & Valentine, G. (2006). Approaches to Human Geography. London: Sage.
• Harvey, D. (2010). A Companion to Marx' capital. New York: Verto Books.
• Harvey, D. (2011). Curriculum Vitae David Harvey. Visited on 31 October 2011 at www.davidharvey.org.
• Harvey, D. (2011). The Party of Wall Street Meets its Nemesis. visited on 31 October 2011 at www.socialistworker.org.

Contributors

• Page created by Peter de Boer. October 2011.